This is one of those hotels that is not what it seems,often marketed as the DUBLIN CASTLE HOTEL,this gives the impression that it is in(or at least is walking distance from) the city of Dublin & that it is a castle-WRONG!
I'll tackle the castle bit first,it is one of those old buildings which was a large house which somebody decided to build (roughly) in the manner of a castle & called it such,I guess 'cos they wanted to!
As for it's location,it is not far from Dublin in real terms,you can see Dublin quite clearly from it's grounds, but it is in a pretty remote spot,up a very steep hill,it is not the easiest of places to find in a maze of narrow roads,if you are not in a vehicle beware,you need to be pretty fit if you are going to go anywhere!
Having stayed there as a kid in the '60s this was no surprise to me,it was just a place of great memories that I had to get back to,although it was a shock how much steeper the hills seem when you are 40 years older!
This was our second stay in recent years & both times the place,amazingly considering its location,has been packed,many have been first time visitors who did not expect to be so isolated & many are more local,usually there for weddings for which it is rightly very popular.
For us the effort is always worth it,it is a beautiful hotel,from the moment you enter through the front door(up steps just as it was all those years ago-yes more climbing!) you are met with a superbly appointed hotel,the lounge & bar area are superb places to relax,such a wonderful atmosphere,there is an excellent pool,a fitness centre & the rooms are very well appointed & spotless,many with a view over Dublin Bay.
All the staff were very friendly & helpful,the food superb(both in the bar & the two restaurants).
The grounds of the hotel are particularly nice making them ideal( weather permitting!) for wedding photographs & for a leisurely stroll,further affield the villages of Killiney & Dalkey are within walking distance,as is Killiney Hill with it's outstanding views,BUT beware the walks to Dalkey & Killiney Hill involve steep climbs in one direction or the other,curiously enough the walk to Killiney village seems to involve climbing in both directions(well it is Ireland!).
Another word of warning regarding eating at the hotel,it is advisable,in our experience,to book in advance,either when you arrive or by email beforehand,the two restaurants can get very busy,it's hard work finding somewhere else to eat!
Overall a beautiful hotel just as long as you are not expecting to easily head for the shops & sights of Dublin City.

Stayed at the Fitzpatrick for a week at the beginning of August on a deal which included breakfast and two evening meals at the hotel restaurants. Would recommend contacting the hotel direct rather than using the website as we seemed to get a better deal that way. Rooms were nicely decorated, spotlessly clean and had the comfiest beds anywhere! The buffet breakfast was HUGE and delicious. Would recommend dinner at the Dungeon restaurant in the hotel too. Staff were very friendly and helpful.Dublin city centre was quickly and easily reached via the local Dart station in Dalkey - a short walk from the hotel. Would recommend the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel to anyone visiting Dublin

Booked an ordinary twin without a view, but got a superior room with a view, that's what I call a welcome surprise!

Everything was perfect, Breakfast fantastic, Dinner very good indeed. WiFi throughout the hotel, so you can stay in touch with the world.

A walk up the Killiney Hill to the tower and then a dip into the swimming pool is perfect before breakfast.

Based on the previous reviews, I had very high expectations. Our stay was fine, but for some reason I felt something was missing. We had a few hiccups with check in. We were supposed to have an early check-in, but when we arrived it fell through. At the time, we were told we'd already been booked in the larger room with balcony and view of the harbor. When we actually got our room there was no balcony or view and the clerk (the same one we had talked to two hours earlier) had no record of the balcony. The room was very large, to the point that I'm not sure what we were supposed to do with all that room. The bedding and furniture were a little shabby. The bathroom was also a good size, but could have used a really good scrubbing. The public areas were pretty, but the business center was disappointing (no internet access during the entire stay). We had dinner in the Dungeon. The food was very good but they were short staffed and the place was incredibly noisy. We had lunch down the hill in Dalkey at Finnigan's. I highly recommend the place -- great food and beautiful place. It was our last night before going to the Dublin airport. I guess I was expecting to be pampered/royal treatment. It felt more like a very nice Marriott.